Elisabeth Barbara Heidenfelder Thompson, 94, of Omaha, NE, sadly passed away on the evening of July 22nd, 2022.   She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Dean Thompson; parents, Henry and Gertrude Heidenfelder nee Kneiper of Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany; 5 brothers: Henry Heidenfelder, Thomas Heidenfelder, Cletus Heidenfelder, Aloysious Heidenfelder, Alphonse Heidenfelder; 4 sisters: Mary Heidenfelder, Helen Heidenfelder, Amelia Wagner, Gertrude Escher; and 1 Great Granddaughter, Leslie Taylor.

“Betty” was born on July 15th, 1928, in Belleville, Illinois. She attended school at St Mary’s elementary and Belleville Township High School, both in Belleville, IL. Following graduation from the 9th Grade, Betty began working as a telephone operator for the Northwestern Bell Telephone Company in Belleville. During this time, she met Robert Dean Thompson, and they were later married on May 5th, 1948, at St Mary’s Catholic Church.  Betty and Dean had 5 children: Stephen and Melissa Thompson of Jacksonville, FL; Donna and Rick Felemonski of Shawnee, KS; Linda and Garland Taylor of Omaha, NE; James and Kim Thompson of Grand Island, NE; and Thomas and Linda Thompson of Mascoutah, IL.  Additionally, they had 18 Grandchildren, over 40 Great Grandchildren, and 7 Great Great Grandchildren.

Betty and Dean, an Airman in the United States Air Force, were stationed at Scott AFB and Chanute AFB in Illinois, Lowry AFB, CO, Mountain Home AFB Idaho, McConnell AFB, KS, Beale AFB, CA, Ramey AFB, Puerto Rico, and Offutt AFB, NE.  After Dean retired from the Air Force, they lived in Omaha, NE before moving to Ansley NE, where they owned and operated Thompson Service Station, which Dean purchased from his brother, Charles, from 1978 thru 1998.  Dean passed away in 2006 and Betty moved back to Omaha in 2010.

Betty was an active member of many organizations, including the Catholic Alter Society, Square Dance Clubs, and the Ladies Auxiliary to the American Legion as well as a volunteer Emergency Medical Technician. At the time of her death, Betty was a member of St James Catholic Church in Omaha.